Hamilton Loomis: Bluesman by trade

Hamilton Loomis started playing blues at an age when most of us were playing with Legos.

And lucky for us, he’s still playing.

The former Texas blues wunderkind is still touring, and tonight he’ll bring his uniquely Loomis blues to Dylan’s in Port Arthur.

You can expect a high energy blues show that brings the funk — and Loomis was handed the keys to blues funk by some of the guys who invented it.

Loomis took a couple minutes from his busy touring schedule to tell me about his career, his tour habits and his mentor, blues icon Bo Diddley.

You started playing when you were just a kid and you’re still goin’. Most folks make multiple career changes in their lifetime. How do you keep your career fresh and interesting to you?
That’s the beauty of touring; it keeps itself fresh. Every morning you wake up in a different city and every night you’re surrounded by different people and a different environment. As far as music in general, I always knew I wanted to be a musician and a performer. It’s a lot of hard work being on the road, but it’s definitely an exciting career and very rewarding.

Tell me about your relationship with Bo Diddley.
I met him in Houston when I was 16 and we became friends. We did numerous shows together here in Texas and he sort of took me under his wing and gave me advice and encouragement. He even collaborated and recorded with me. I’ll always be grateful to him. He’s the one who told me to be original. “Innovate, don’t imitate,” he said.

What do you think sets Texas blues apart from, say, Chicago blues or any other style in the genre?
Well, one of the cool things about Texas blues and Texas music in general is that it has so many facets to it. There are so many great Texas artists out there making great music, it’s hard to define what is the Texas sound.

In Texas blues, Lightnin’ Hopkins’ style is different from Freddy King’s style is different from Bobby Bland’s style is different from Albert Collins’ style … You get the picture. Even the modern players all sound unique, and to me, that’s what makes Texas blues unique. You can’t categorize or define it.

What other Texas blues musicians have inspired you the most?
I’m inspired by everyone I listen to, but I think Joe “Guitar” Hughes did the most for me. He taught me a lot of valuable lessons, as well as some crazy good guitar licks.

Your bio says you’ve been touring non-stop since 2001. What are your tips and tricks for staying sane on the road?
Get plenty of sleep and make the most of any time off you get!

You play bars, halls, I even caught your show at the last South Texas State Fair. What’s your favorite kind of venue to play?
That’s a great question. Every artist loves to play huge festivals but in addition to those, some of the most rewarding and fun shows are small rooms where the audience is right up in your face. I love the interaction you get in a small room. I guess they’re all good in their own ways.

What do you think the future holds for blues music?
It’s definitely growing and changing for the next generation. It’s great that young artists are changing the face of blues as we know it, like Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, John Mayer and Robert Randolph, to name a few. They are exposing and introducing blues and roots music to the younger generation.

I was very lucky in that most of the old masters were alive and well when I was learning to play, so I got a hands-on education from many of them. Hopefully the next generation will be able to gain the same appreciation and respect for the music through those carrying the torch.